Steven Markoff
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{short description|American film producer}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Steven Markoff
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| alma_mater = Los Angeles City College
| occupation = {{hlist|Entrepreneur|producer|author}}
| years_active = 1965–present
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| known_for = Founder of A-Mark Financial and ProCon.org
| notable_works = The Case Against George W. Bush
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| website = {{URL|http://stevencmarkoff.com/}}
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Steven C. Markoff is an American entrepreneur, film producer, author, and educator. He is the founder of the A-Mark Financial Corporation, a financial services firm based in Santa Monica, California that originally traded in rare coins and precious metals. He later created a series of websites (most notably ProCon.org) with the goal of providing nonpartisan information about a wide range of social and political topics. In the mid-2000s, Markoff served as an executive producer on several films including Alpha Dog, Next Day Air and Stander. He published the non-fiction books, The Case Against George W. Bush, HANDBOOK – The First 100 Years Of The ACLU: A Compendium Of Advocacy Before The United States Supreme Court, and Misfire: The Supreme Court, The Second Amendment, Our Right to Bear Arms, through Rare Bird Books.{{Cite web |title=Steven C Markoff |url=https://stevencmarkoff.com/ |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=stevencmarkoff.com}}
Life and career
Steven Markoff is a native of Los Angeles.{{cite news |last=Suchecki |first=Paul M.J. |title=Both Sides Now: How a Funder Bankrolls Informed Public Debate |url=https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/journalism/2015/2/20/both-sides-now-how-a-funder-bankrolls-informed-public-debate.html |date=February 20, 2015 |newspaper= |work=Inside Philanthropy |access-date=December 10, 2020}} He graduated from Los Angeles City College in 1964.{{cite news |last= |first= |title=Distinguished Alumni |url=https://www.laccfoundation.org/distinguished-alumni/ |date= |newspaper= |work= |publisher= Los Angeles City College |access-date=December 10, 2020}} In 1965,{{cite news |last= |first= |title=Limited-Issue 25th Anniversary Gold Canadian Maple Leaf Now Available |url=https://www.ngccoin.com/news/article/223/ |date=November 1, 2004 |newspaper= |work= |publisher=Numismatic Guaranty Corporation |access-date=December 10, 2020}} Markoff founded the A-Mark Financial Corporation, a Santa Monica-based financial services company that trades in rare coins and precious metals.{{cite news |last= |first= |title=TOP 100—Silence Is Golden for L.A.'s Largest Private Firms |url=https://labusinessjournal.com/news/2000/oct/30/top-100-silence-is-golden-for-las-largest-private/?page=1& |date=October 30, 2000 |newspaper=Los Angeles Business Journal |work= |access-date=December 10, 2020}} The company was originally known as the A-Mark Coin Company{{cite news |last=Bassett |first=Edward W. |title=Gold Coins: Inflation Hedge? |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/518235198/?terms=%22steven%20markoff%22&match=1 |date=August 25, 1976 |newspaper=Lebanon Daily News |work= |access-date=December 10, 2020}} (and later A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc.).{{cite news |last=Crouch |first=Gregory |title=The Road to Failure at Valley State Bank |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/405072737/?terms=%22steve%20markoff%22&match=1 |date=October 27, 1987 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |work= |access-date=December 10, 2020}} A-Mark initially operated primarily as a wholesaler of rare coins and gold and silver bullion.{{cite news |last=Fox |first=Stephen |title=Coins good as gold |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/569056143/?terms=%22steve%20markoff%22&match=1 |date=September 19, 1976 |newspaper=Escondido Times-Advocate |work= |access-date=December 10, 2020}} In addition to serving as chairman and CEO of A-Mark, Markoff also held the role of president of the American Coin Exchange in the 1970s.{{cite news |last= |first= |title=Bag Of 10,000 Dimes Is Newest Investment |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/371660205/?terms=%22steve%20markoff%22&match=1 |date=February 21, 1973 |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |work= |access-date=December 10, 2020}}
In January 1976, Markoff (through A-Mark) purchased The Redfield Hoard silver dollar collection for $7.3 million.{{cite news |last= |first= |title=Collection of silver dollars |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/608818261/?terms=%22steve%20markoff%22&match=1 |date=January 30, 1976 |newspaper=The Berkeley Gazette |work= |access-date=December 10, 2020}} The collection consisted of over 407,000 silver dollar coins weighing a total of 12 tons. Later that year, Markoff facilitated A-Mark's purchase of the J.E. Wilkinson gold pattern coin collection, consisting of 45 coins valued at a total $5 million. The collection also featured the 1907 Indian Head Double Eagle pattern worth $1 million on its own.{{cite news |last=Robbins |first=Fred |title=Gold pattern coin collection sold |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/405714807/?terms=%22steven%20markoff%22&match=1 |date=June 25, 1976 |newspaper=Dayton Daily News |work= |access-date=December 10, 2020}} The coin was formerly owned by King Farouk of Egypt.{{cite news |last= |first= |title=Million-dollar coin surfaces in N.Y. display |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/383806409/?terms=%22steven%20markoff%22&match=1 |date=August 29, 1976 |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |work= |access-date=December 10, 2020}} Markoff saw continued success through A-Mark with sales exceeding $1 billion annually in the 1980s and 90s.{{cite news |last=Rutten |first=Tim |title=Vietnam's Shadows in Persian Gulf |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/176462937/?terms=%22steve%20markoff%22&match=1 |date=February 15, 1991 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |work= |access-date=December 10, 2020}}{{cite news |last= |first= |title=A-Mark Financial Corporation |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/books/politics-and-business-magazines/mark-financial-corporation |date=December 6, 2020 |newspaper= |work=Encyclopedia.com |access-date=December 10, 2020}} In 2000, the Los Angeles Business Journal listed A-Mark Financial Corporation as the second-largest privately-owned firm in Los Angeles. Greg Manning Auctions Inc. bought a majority stake in A-Mark for $16 million in 2005.{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-jul-19-fi-manning19-story.html|title=Greg Manning Auctions Buys A-Mark|date=July 19, 2005|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2019-05-21|language=en-US|issn=0458-3035}} Thereafter, the firm changed its name to Escala Group,{{Cite web|url=https://www.sec.gov/litigation/complaints/2009/comp20965.pdf|title=UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK|website=Sec. Gov}} then to Spectrum Group International Inc.{{Cite web|url=https://investorshub.advfn.com/~/Spectrum-Group-International-Inc-SPGZ-6709/|title=Spectrum Group International Inc SPGZ Board|website=Investors Hub|language=en|access-date=2019-05-21}} In 2009, it purchased the remainder of A-Mark.{{cite news|last1=White|first1=Ronald|title=A-Mark Precious Metals may profit from increased awareness|url=http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-stock-spotlight-amark-20140707-story.html|accessdate=June 24, 2017|work=Los Angeles Times|date=July 6, 2014}}
In 1997, Markoff founded the A-Mark Foundation with the goal of funding organizations and ventures that promote charitable, humanitarian, and/or educational causes. He also wanted to use the foundation to fund, produce, and support outlets that create nonpartisan research. This ultimately led to the 2004 foundation of ProCon.org, a nonpartisan online research database that discusses the pros and cons of a wide range of controversial social and political topics. Markoff would later create more specific websites that provided nonpartisan information on subjects like George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and the September 11 attacks.{{cite news |last=Jamison |first=Peter |title=Dept. of Water & Pow! |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/203644026/?terms=%22steve%20markoff%22&match=1 |date=August 3, 2015 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |work= |access-date=December 10, 2020}} ProCon.org was eventually acquired by Encyclopædia Britannica in 2020.{{cite news |last= |first= |title=Encyclopaedia Britannica Acquires ProCon.org |url=https://www.procon.org/headlines/encyclopaedia-britannica-acquires-procon-org/ |date=May 29, 2020 |newspaper= |work=ProCon.org |access-date=December 10, 2020}}
In 2005, Markoff helped create the production company, A-Mark Entertainment. Other partners in the venture included Bruce McNall, Nick Cassavetes, and Robert Geringer.{{cite news |last=Fleming |first=Michael |title=Venture hits A-Mark |url=https://variety.com/2005/film/markets-festivals/venture-hits-a-mark-1117918965/ |date=March 6, 2005 |newspaper= |work=Variety |access-date=December 10, 2020}} Markoff served as a producer or executive producer on a number of films in the 2000s, including Alpha Dog (2006),{{cite news |last=Chang |first=Justin |title=Alpha Dog |url=https://variety.com/2006/scene/markets-festivals/alpha-dog-1200518998/ |date=January 27, 2006 |newspaper= |work=Variety |access-date=December 10, 2020}} Autopsy (2008),{{cite news |last=Harvey |first=Dennis |title=Autopsy |url=https://variety.com/2009/film/reviews/autopsy-1200473352/ |date=January 12, 2009 |newspaper= |work=Variety |access-date=December 10, 2020}} and Next Day Air (2009).{{cite news |last=McNary |first=Dave |title=Summit delivers ‘Next Day Air’ |url=https://variety.com/2009/film/news/summit-delivers-next-day-air-1118000054/amp/ |date=February 11, 2009 |newspaper= |work=Variety |access-date=December 10, 2020}} In May 2011, Markoff purchased an interest in Grauman's (TCL) Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.{{cite news |last=Glick Kudler |first=Adrian |title=Chinese Theatre Getting Some Work Done |url=https://la.curbed.com/2011/10/4/10436402/chinese-theatre-getting-some-work-done |date=October 4, 2011 |newspaper= |work=Curbed |access-date=December 10, 2020}} Markoff also purchased the Two Bunch Palms Resort & Spa in Desert Hot Springs, California in February 2012{{cite news |last=Miller |first=Daniel |title='The Player' Hideaway Two Bunch Palms Resort Sold to Hollywood Producers (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/player-hideaway-al-capone-real-estate-293307 |date=February 22, 2012 |newspaper= |work=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=December 10, 2020}} which he later sold in 2015.{{cite web |last1=Hughes |first1=Paul |title=NB Investor Buys Resort in Desert Hot Springs |url=https://www.ocbj.com/news/2015/dec/02/nb-investor-buys-resort-desert-hot-springs/ |website=Orange County Business Journal}}
In November 2020, Markoff published the non-fiction book, The Case Against George W. Bush, via Rare Bird Books. The book discusses the George W. Bush presidential administration and Bush's handling of the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. In the book, Markoff makes a case that President George W. Bush's handling of certain issues were actually crimes.{{cite news |last= |first= |title=The Case Against George W. Bush |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/steven-c-markoff/the-case-against-george-w-bush/ |date=September 26, 2020 |newspaper= |work=Kirkus Reviews |access-date=December 10, 2020}} Markoff was interviewed by Ralph Nader on the Ralph Nader Radio Hour about his book “where he dispassionately lays out the three major war crimes the former president committed by invading Iraq.” HANDBOOK – The First 100 Years Of The ACLU: A Compendium Of Advocacy Before The United States Supreme Court, Markoff’s second book, became available January 2023. It received a Los Angeles Book Festival runner up award in the Wildcard Category in April 2024; Misfire: The Supreme Court, The Second Amendment, Our Right to Bear Arms, Markoff’s third book, became available May 14, 2024.{{Cite web |title=Steven C Markoff |url=https://stevencmarkoff.com/ |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=stevencmarkoff.com}}
Filmography
Bibliography
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |
| scope="col" |Year
! scope="col" |Title ! scope="col" |Original publisher ! scope="col" |ISBN ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 2024
|Misfire: The Supreme Court, The Second Amendment, Our Right to Bear Arms |ISBN 978-1644284438 | |
| 2023
|HANDBOOK – The First 100 Years Of The ACLU: A Compendium Of Advocacy Before The United States Supreme Court |ISBN 978-1644283387 |Foreword by Erwin Chemerinsky |
| scope="row" | 2020
| The Case Against George W. Bush | {{ISBN|978-1644281352}} | Foreword by Richard A. Clarke |
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- [http://stevencmarkoff.com/ Official website]
- [https://www.amark.com/ A-Mark]
- [http://amarkentertainment.com/ A-Mark Entertainment]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Markoff, Steven}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:American film producers